LAST MEETING REVIEW

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The second fixture of the month certainly proved to be an interesting contest, as spectators gathered to enjoy an intriguing afternoon of National Hunt racing.

The Nigel Hawke trained Diligent continued to prove consistent in the Steve Chapman Memorial Novices’ Hurdle, easily finishing 21 lengths ahead of three other runners in the race with Kieren Buckley on board. The pair continued their winning ways from racing here on August 21st, finishing an impressive 27 lengths ahead of Take Em Out. The second race of the meeting saw another with four runners coming to post. Joint Favourite Joey Steel came out on top with Nick Schofield on board, for his first of two victories of the day. It was the horse’s debut run at Newton Abbot and he finished a comfortable length and a half in front of the other Joint Favourite, Fact of the Matter. Joey Steel came here in excellent form, having finished first once and second twice during meetings in May and June, following a 93-day break from the end of the last jumps season. Schofield has been on board on all

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four occasions, and the horse has made a marked improvement since this change. She could be one to for her follow going forward leading trainer with 5 more to come over fences based on her previous hurdles form. The Class 4 40th Anniversary Mares Novices Hurdle saw the Mel Rowley trained Ginger Du Val run a comfortable race to finish two and three-quarter lengths in front of the Evens Favourite She’s A Novelty, trained by Fergal O’Brien- a reversal of placings from when the two met at Bangor in August earlier in the year. The five-yearold has had a good start to the season, since changing trainers from Nigel Twiston-Davies

3 - STATE CROWN

to Rowley in June. The partnership, along with jockey Ben Bromley, have had a succession of seconds since the changed trainer notification, broken up by a third at Worcester behind Heartbreaker and top jockey here; Harry Cobden. He did run below-par at Bangor, where he finished six lengths behind She’s A Novelty. However, he prevailed here on 17th and saw a marked improvement from his previous outing. The fifth race of the meeting was a particularly interesting contest that was won by the 100/1 shot Borak. Despite being held up at the rear, along with being hampered by the favourite, Sargeant; who fell at the first, he made good progress throughout the race and led from two fences out. This was Nick Schofield’s second winner of the meeting, and although Easkey Lad stayed on well in second, he proved to be no match for the eventual winner. This was the horse’s first victory since October 2019 and the first time Schofield had been in the saddle on him, and he stayed on strongly to win by a length and three-quarters. Aye Aye Charlie continued to be consistent from the August meeting here, yet this time finishing second to the 9/2 shot Valentino, trained by Jackie Du Plessis. He proved no match for Valentino this time though, as the horse finished very comfortably eight and-a-half lengths ahead with Harry Kimber on board. Meanwhile, the 15/8 Favourite Decoration Of War was well beaten thirty and-a-half lengths after soon weakening from two fences out. The penultimate race of the day saw Sister Raphael was another slightly surprising winner for Connor Brace in the 4:45, with odds of 40/1. He won by a head from Ark of Bubbles, while leading course trainer Paul Nicholls’ Eglantine Du Seuil finished a distant third from the pair. The final race of the day saw Paddy Brennan claim his first victory of the meeting in the bumper aboard Bari Breeze, the 6/5 Joint Favourite. It was a comfortable victory for the pair who finished six lengths in front of the Christian Williams trained Loup De Maulde, rideen by Jack Tudor. Bari Breeze tracked the leader throughout and kept on well after being ridden out in the final furlong to ensure his victory.

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1 - DILIGENT 3 - GINGER DU VAL 4 - BORAK 5 - VALENTINO 6 - SISTER RAPHAEL (4) TAKES ON ARC OF BUBBLES 7 - BARI BREEZE